Current Updates!

A local Marina resident made sending a notice to the commissioners regarding the unfair CalAm desalination plant that threatens our ground water so much easier!

You can click on the link below and visit the site to let the commissioners know what you think about this project. The Public Utilities Commission is planning to approve by September 13 so don't delay.

Sign the petition

PLEASE NOTE THIS PETITION IS NOW CLOSED AS THE CPUC HAS APPROVED THE PROJECT

Many thanks for the residents who responded to the community sponsored petition

August 14, Public Water Now held a very important forum at MIIS with Monterey One Water, Paul Scuito, and Jonas Minton, Planning and Conservation League who talked about an expansion of a regional recycled water project that can serve as a more affordable, equitable, and viable “Plan B” to the Cal-Am Slant Well Desalination Project. Remember that the Peninsula ratepayers, under CalAm, are paying the highest rate of water in the COUNTRY, even without the $300M plus for the proposed Desalination Project!

The issue of environmental injustice to Marina of Cal-Am’s Project was discussed as litigation will likely occur should the project be approved. Although, the CPUC's “proposed decision” has been to advance the Project for a vote at a CPUC regular meeting in S.F. (possibly Sept. 13), the Project has NOT been issued a building “permit” (CPCN) yet.

On Aug. 22, all official "parties to the proceeding", including the City of Marina, Marina Coast Water District, Citizens for Just Water, and Public Water Now and several others, will get their first opportunity to be heard before the CPUC in S.F. This is very late in a process that will be possibly approved in mid September.

At the August 14 Forum, individuals were urged to exercise their right to contact the CPUC Commissioners regarding the Cal-Am Slant Well Project. The CPUC has many barriers to public participation and comment, so this is perhaps the last opportunity to speak up before the final decision is made.

If ever there was a more urgent time for Marina and Ord communities to write a comment, it is NOW.Here are the email addresses:

Recently, the Coastal Commission held its July 11 through 13th meeting in Scotts Valley.

Several car pools of persons from Marina, Seaside, Monterey and Carmel Valley presented on each day of the public comment portion to educate the Commissioners about environmental issues associated with the CalAm Slant Well Desalination Project in Marina, CA.

Encourging the CCC to apply good science in their decision making and permitting process along with incorporating new information such as the Stanford AEM study, instead of relying entirely on old studies that are no longer relevant.

CalAm had 2 pro-slant well project speakers on July 11th that both receive direct monetary benefit from the approval of this project, but not one unaffiliated citizen speaking in favor. What does this tell you?

Now is the time to speak out against this project! The Coastal Commission will be responsible for issuing permits to build the slant wells on the CEMEX property that will take up our groundwater reserves.

CItizens for Just Water attended last weeks hearing as one of the 27 parties to the proceeding. We were able to voice our concerns about the narrow review of feasibility about this ill-conceived project for 3 minutes to the 5 commissioners. Although this is a miserly amount of time to address all of the complexity of the project, we focused on the omission of a fair evaluation of our community values and needs, and the inherent environmental injustice of siting this project in our water supply. We asked that they deny the Certificate of Convenience and Public Necessity (CPCN) because the CPUC has failed to protect the water supply of a diverse, low-income community. We added our support to expansion of the Pure Water Monterey recycled water project by Monterey One Water.

Here are some agreements that were stated by several of the parties that oppose approval of this project:1. Postpone approving the Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) for Cal Am’s proposed desal plant.2. Expand Pure Water Monterey to provide water sooner and at a lower cost than the Desal plant to peninsula users.

Further, MCWD wants the CPUC to:3. Order a complete review of groundwater rights by the California State Water Resources Control Board regarding the take of water from the Salinas Valley by CalAm's project where it has no water rights.4. Include the geophysical information developed by Stanford University in the current EIR.5. Order the proposed Cal Am desalination project to find a different source of feedwater.

Thursday, June 21 at 7:00pmMIIS, Irvine Auditorium499 Pierce St., MontereyIf you thought Cal Am’s proposed desal project would take water from the ocean, you may be surprised. Instead Cal Am plans to draw brackish water from Marina’s groundwater. Marina has a big problem with this. They claim Cal Am’s desal feeder wells will damage their groundwater and produce further seawater intrusion. Marina’s claim is backed by science from Stanford University.Cal Am has no water rights to Marina’s groundwater. Marina will not likely be bullied into submission on this issue. Litigation looks inevitable. This is a David and Goliath battle. The threat to Marina’s water supply and its future are serious. What are they supposed to do?But here’s why you should care if you are a Cal Am customer on the Peninsula. You are already paying for the most expensive water in the country. Desal water is expensive to begin with, but Cal Am’s scheme to pump water from Marina’s groundwater will lead to extreme costs, far beyond typical desal water costs. Litigation will likely cause further delays and once again Cal Am customers on the Peninsula will face the ongoing problem of no new water supply.Get the whole story from presenters Bruce Delgado, Mayor of Marina, Kathy Biala, Just Water (Marina citizens advocacy group for water justice) and Tom Moore, President, Marina Coast Water District Board of Directors.Cal Am is spending millions of YOUR dollars on this desalination project. Know what you are paying for. Join us to hear what the future consequences for all of us will be.PWN Forums are Free and Open to the Public.Do RSVPwww.publicwaternow.org/marina_v_cal_am?utm_campaign=marina_v_calam_outcome_impct_p&utm_medium=email&utm_source=publicwaternow

If you missed our last forum - you can get a recap of the event on YouTube. Folks can still send comments to the CPUC and the MBNMS about this project - the agencies just won't be required to respond during the review period.

Final EIR/EIS has been released

Just a heads up that the joint "Final Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) for the Proposed Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project" has been released.

Many have received a mailer recently on this very same subject. This is the last chance that the public can comment on a very flawed project. Public comments close on April 19th - this is a very short window.

Why is it important to comment? From here, should this project get the green light, any public comments become part of the public record. Our voices need to be heard; that it is an injustice to allow a for profit company to take our water, that this project has no cost ceiling or accountability for salt water intrusion damages to the aquifer, that there are other solutions that will provide water sooner and at a lower cost.

Water "at any cost" is not a regional solution.

Link to Final EIR/EIS and Appendices for online reviewhttp://www.cpuc.ca.gov/Environment/info/esa/mpwsp/comms_n_docs.html

Everyone, tonight I just witnessed our City Council in a courageous and surprise move to protect Marina’s water! They voted unanimously to submit an application to become a Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) for the 180/400 foot aquifer that lies beneath the Cemex plant where the proposed Cal-Am slant wells are to be built (areas not within MCWD’s water jurisdiction). The agricultural interests expressed strong opposition to the City’s motion, but Bruce Delgado so articulately said that Marina was not part of the decision-making that would take our water and give it all to the Peninsula. He said if the reverse were true, i.e. that Marina decided to take Carmel’s water, this would never be permitted! Marina is left with all the harms while Cal-Am reaps all the benefits and we have to do however much it takes to save our water supply. Gail Morton’s incisive comments deflated the attempt to position the City’s action as not collaborative; the offer for the City to be on the Salinas Valley Groundwater GSA’s “advisory committee” is hardly a genuine gesture to rectify the city’s lack of true representation! We should all be proud that our local city government is standing up to forces that clearly intend to take advantage of us!

If you would like to view the Council Meeting AMP has posted the entirety here. Discussion of the GSA begins at 16.43.Click Here

Citizens for Just Water

Information posted here reflects current issues found in the public domain and serve to inform about the complex issues of water on the Monterey Peninsula